Best Bars With A Great Martini Selection In Orange County

A martini says something that a cold beer or glass of wine could never hope to. It shows the rest of the bar how classy you are and, of course, showcases your love for James Bond. If 007 isn’t your drinking partner, a good martini can be hard to find, but Orange County has you covered with a host of martini specialty spots, from the beaches of Laguna to Fullerton’s upscale lounges.

A swanky Newport Beach staple, Mastro’s Ocean Club is well known for its delicious seafood, excellent service and live entertainment. Complimenting the Ocean Club’s sushi and fresh seafood menu is its terrific cocktail list which includes everything from wines, and cocktails to craft beers and, of course specialty martini’s. With a laundry list of martini’s to choose from, it can be somewhat hard to pick just one, but there are some fan favorites like their “Mastro Classic Martini,” which is made up of Belvedere Vodka, and your choice of hand-stuffed blue cheese olives or large caper berries or the “Elderflower Martini,” which has Belvedere Citrus Vodka, Hendrick’s Gin, St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur and fresh lemon.
A place to go if you’re looking to splurge and spoil yourself or a date for the night, you can also opt for the Salted Caramel Martini if you’re looking to change things up and get adventurous. This martini comes with Gabriel Boudier Liqueur de Caramel, Double Cross Vodka and Averna Cream Liqueur, and is served up with a sea salt rim. The lounge is open until 1 a.m. daily, so you can take your time sipping on your stirred or shaken masterpiece.

Watermarc’s combination of great service and hip style makes it a perfect drink location to raise your pinky and sip on a delicious martini. This isn’t a traditional “guy’s bar,” but nothing should keep fellas from taking their ladies to this swanky joint. On the other hand, it shouldn’t keep the single guys away, either, as this is a great spot to meet available women enjoying drinks out with friends. While the martinis and cocktails here cater to a more feminine sensibility, they’re still guaranteed to be tasty while not skimping on the booze. The restaurant and bar offers a selection of specialty cocktails and martini’s to sample out on your night out.

When it comes to a martini, nothing goes better with it than having the right music, and a live jazz club is just the thing to make the perfect night out just a little more special. With a calendar full of great artists and a bar full of tasty drinks and cocktails, ordering a specialty martini at Steamers Jazz Club is sure to help you fit right in. With a full cocktail list including drinks like the Moscow Mule, and others, they also offer a full martini menu. The fact that Steamers has a dedicated martini menu should be enough incentive to give this diamond in the rough a shot.

The fact that this restaurant and bar has the words “martini bar” in its name should show how serious this spot is about their martini’s. With a few dozen martini choices and a ton of charm, Luxe will transport you to a simpler time when the drinks were strong, the patrons were hip and the music was smooth. The atmosphere here is built to be more sophisticated than any other joint. Grab a few tapas to share with a date over one of the bar’s simple yet delectable martinis, like the cucumber martini with Grey Goose vodka, fresh lime juice and fresh cucumbers or the Blackberry Citrus Martini, made with Grey Goose le citron, fresh orange juice, fresh lime Juice, and fresh blackberries. Other martinis include their Pear Twist Martini, Fresh Raspberry Martini, Caliente Martini, Fresh Watermelon Martini, a Pepper Basil Martini, a Strawberry Paloma Martini and many more.

Known for their lively atmosphere, live entertainment and creative drinks, Opah Seafood Grill offers a slew of signature martini’s to choose from. Experts in the world of martini’s, the bartenders serve up drinks like their “Anjou Pear” which comes with smirnoff pear vodka, st. germain, ruby red grapefruit, simple syrup and lemon to make for a refreshing cocktail. Other fan favorites include the “Black Cherry Fizz”, made with effen black cherry vodka, gogi berry liqueur, soda and lemon as well as their “South Coast Sidebar” with cointreau, brandy, lemon, and orange. They also make martini’s with gin as well as other types of vodka. For those looking for the straight up martini, not to worry, they specialize in regular martini’s too.

Jesse Seilhan is a writer, editor and photographer from the California Bay Area. After moving to Long Beach, Jesse continues his passion for writing and music by covering concerts, interviewing top artists, and giving a dose of wisdom in a crazy, mixed-up musical world. His work can be found at Examiner.com.